


Winter is Coming

by Rogersruinedmylife



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bucky is confused, Game of Thrones References, M/M, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Sam Wilson is a Gift, Steve Rogers Feels, everyone teasing Bucky, modern culture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-17 04:14:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16967481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rogersruinedmylife/pseuds/Rogersruinedmylife
Summary: ‘Winter is coming’ Jarvis proclaimed as the elevator doors opened on the communal floor of the Avengers tower. Bucky’s eyebrows tugged down into a frown. This was new. Stark had programmed the AI to call him plenty of things in the last six months since he and Steve had taken up residence on the fifteenth floor. They ranged from Winter Boo-bear to Caps Best Gal and more that should not be uttered in the presence of children. Or Steve. Age aside, the super soldier still flushed like a shy child getting the talk from his parents for the first time. Despite this Bucky had always understood the references in the names. However this sentence was new. Aside from sharing the winter from his code name, the rest of the greeting did nothing to trigger Bucky’s memory





	Winter is Coming

‘Winter is coming’ Jarvis proclaimed as the elevator doors opened on the communal floor of the Avengers tower. Bucky’s eyebrows tugged down into a frown. This was new. Stark had programmed the AI to call him plenty of things in the last six months since he and Steve had taken up residence on the fifteenth floor. They ranged from Winter Boo-bear to Caps Best Gal and more that should not be uttered in the presence of children. Or Steve. Age aside, the super soldier still flushed like a shy child getting the talk from his parents for the first time. Despite this Bucky had always understood the references in the names. However this sentence was new. Aside from sharing the winter from his code name, the rest of the greeting did nothing to trigger Bucky’s memory. ‘Jarvis, is there a reason for the greetin’?’ Bucky questioned as he made his way towards the kitchen. After a three day mission in Europe his bones ached and all he wanted was a good bottle of Russian vodka and pop tarts. ‘I’m afraid I cannot tell you Sir. Master Starks mind is a strange and complex organism that not even I care to pretend to understand’, the AI replied with a weary tone. Bucky nodded as he reached for the press where he knew Natasha stored her good vodka and pop tarts. ‘You and me both buddy. Does anyone even want to understand that kids mind?’ Bucky joked back, metal hand closing around the neck of a vodka bottle. ‘Master Barnes, it would take a miracle to understand Master Starks brain’ Jarvis shot back. Bucky snorted. For a disembodied voice, Jarvis was quickly becoming his favourite thing about living in the tower. Right after Steve and Pepper Potts. The woman deserved a Nobel Peace prize just for putting up with Stark on a daily basis. ‘Thanks J’ Bucky laughed, plucking a note off the bottle of vodka, which he had noticed was empty. ‘отвали, мудак, бля! I mean it Barnes’ the note read in Natasha’s messy cursive writing. A peek into the press revealed an empty self. Natasha had moved her stash, depraving his stomach of sugary goodness. With a sigh and a flurry of multilingual curse, Bucky dragged his weary bones back to the elevator. The name forgotten as he prayed for Steve’s safety that he hadn’t thrown out Bucky’s chocolate stash while he was away.

                                                                                                                                                *

       The second time the incident occurred, it was followed by orchestral music that sounded familiar, blasting from the hidden speakers as he carried down the extra remotes for their weekly game night. ‘Winter is coming’ announced the voice of man Bucky had never heard. His head whipped round trying to find the source of the voice. All he found however was Stark bent over in laughter clutching the marble table top of the bar. ‘You crack me up Winter Boo-Bear, that face. You look like a dog who’s been asked who’s a good boy’ Stark giggled, wiping imaginary tears from his eyes. Bucky rolled his eyes, stalking over to the pile of blankets on the couch and dropping the controllers onto them. ‘Yeah yeah, laugh it up Tin Can, we’ll see who’s laughing when I blue turtle your ass off of Rainbow road again’ Bucky threatened, grabbing his favourite blanket for him and Steve. It was the fluffiest out of all the blankets and had little Darth Vader faces adorning it. It was the first franchise of films him and Steve had watched after he got his mind back. ‘Keep telling yourself that Barnes, but this is the week I kick both your asses’ Sam grinned at them as he jumped the back of the couch to claim the middle spot. Bucky huffed, glaring at Sam, knowing the purpose of him choosing the middle seat. Sam wheezed as he spotted the glare, ‘I’m here to play a mean game of Mario Kart man, not watch you coddle Gramps as he drives into a wall again’.  
       Instead of acknowledging Wilson with a reply, Bucky wandered over to the snacks Pepper had left for them. He quickly pocketed the two good chocolate bars, noticing a little note that read ‘For my favourite soldier- love Pep’. Pepper really was a God send. Bucky made a mental note to himself to get her another bouquet of her favourite flowers on the way back from his morning run. The elevator let out a soft ding in the back ground but the song ‘The Star Spangled Man’ began to play softly throughout the area, announcing Steve’s arrival. ‘Tony, what the hell. I thought we talked about this’ Steve groaned much to Tony and Sam’s glee. Bucky watched as Sam and Steve did some sort of complicated fist bump while Natasha rolled her eyes and claimed the biggest arm chair for herself. Steve lifted his gaze from Sam who was rambling about Mario Kart tactics to meet Bucky’s gaze, lips quirking into a smile. He made his way over, dropping a kiss on Bucky’s temple, hand dipping into his pocket to steal one of the chocolate bars. Before Bucky could protest the loss of his chocolate he was tugged down onto the loveseat by one of Steve’s larger than life arms. ‘Hey Stark before I proceeded to wipe the floor with you, what’s with the wolf toy, man?’ Sam questioned, throwing a strange look at Tony. In response Tony wordlessly made his way over to Bucky, handing him the cuddly wolf teddy before leaning down to whisper, ‘The North remembers’. Bucky felt Steve gasp silently before he began to vibrate with laughter beside Bucky. He contemplated the teddy for a few seconds before growling, ‘That’s it Stark. Someone is going to learn the hard way not to provoke a wolf. I’m taking you down tonight’. Tony’s face turned red from holding back a fit of laughter as he got out the words, ‘I guess you could say, I’m in a dire situation’. The reference flew over Barnes head as he grumbled to Steve about exacting revenge but by the shake of Natashas shoulders and the look in Sam’s eye, the others weren’t as oblivious to it as Bucky was.

                                                                                                                                           *  
     ‘No, no you are wrong on so many level Barnes. How could a bear take out a shark? Not possible. Put a bear in the ocean and the shark will eat it. Its logic, man’ Sam fumed, tapping his foot on the floor of the elevator. Bucky rolled his eyes, leaning against the cod metal with his arms folded in a defensive stance. This fight had been going on over the course of three days, going from text messages to a twitter fued to all-out war. ‘No way Wilson. Have you ever sen a bear? Fought a bear? Those bastards can shred anything. Jaws doesn’t stand a chance against a bear. One punch and your fearsome fish is swimming home crying to mommy’. Bucky delights in the twitch of Sam’s eyes. There’s a vein popping above his brow, it’s been thumping and growing with the frustration Sam has accumulated during the short elevator ride. ‘No Barnes, I have obviously never fought a bear. What dumb ass of a man woul-‘ Sam cut himself off huffing a laugh, ‘Rogers fought a bear, didn’t he?’, Bucky laughed, reminiscing about the morning he crawled out of his tent in the back-ass of nowhere in the USSR to find Steve holding a bear back from Dumdum and Monty’s tent. ‘Damn straight that little shit fought a bear. Nearly took his god damn head off too. That’s why I know for a fact, that your shark doesn’t stand a chance against no bear. If Steve can’t deter the thing with a punch, ain’t no shark gonna get the drop on one, pal’ Bucky snickered, shifting as the little number shifted to the 10th floor.  
        Sam sighed, shaking his head as he stepped out of the elevator. He raised a hand in greeting to Natasha who was sipping coffee at the table when the god damn sentence played. It was followed by the same orchestral music, loud and mystical. Bucky clenched his fist as the words washed over him for the eight time that day, ‘Winter is coming’. ‘I am going to murder Stark. Do you hear me Jarvis? I don’t know what’s so funny about this line but I’m getting real sick of it’ Bucky addressed Jarvis. ‘I apologise for Master Stark’s humour or therefore lack of. I will take it up with him at your request. I will tell him that James of House Barnes is not pleased with this gesture’ Jarvis replied. By the tone he used Bucky could only guess that Stark was hiding somewhere programming the words for the AI and watching the frustration grow on Bucky’s face.  
         Sam, who had been unusually quiet let out a soft whisper of ‘Holy fuck’ before bursting into a gut wrenching fit of laughter. Bucky was sure there were actual tears streaming down the man’s face as he collapsed into a heap on the floor. From the corner of his eye, he could see Natasha smirking into her coffee with a knowing smile. ‘What the hell? Is there something I missing? Why is this so funny?’ Bucky exclaimed, challenging the two in the room to answer him with a glare. ‘Oh calm down King of the North’ Tony replied sassily, entering the room with his tablet in hand, ‘You’ll break Bird boy, or rather, break him more’. Sam was still heaving huge breaths, trying to stop the laughter bubbling over again. ‘The hair man…the hair and the name…and the good Lord, I can’t breathe’ Sam wheezed, hysterical on the floor as Natasha wandered over to pat his back. ‘Seriously you assholes. What is this about?’ Bucky demanded, reprimanding himself inside for the urge to stamp his foot like a child. ‘‘Does this make Steve a wildling? Because my boy doesn’t have the power to seduce a man in a cave’ Sam questioned, clutching his ribs as he stood up. ‘Steve’s more of a Mother of Dragons. It’s the blond hair and innocent looks that hide his anger at injustice’ Natasha answered easily, as if it was something she’d answered before. ‘Fuck you guys. I’ll find out what it is you are laughing at, and then I’m going to make your lives hell’ Bucky snapped, turning and marching back towards the elevator. Just as the doors were about to close he heard Natasha’s cold voice following him. ‘You know nothing James Barnes’.

                                                                                                                                       *  
     ‘I swear to Christ, Stevie. The next time you decide it’s a good day to get a building dropped on your dumb mug, I’m leaving you there’ Bucky hissed, tightening his arm around the other super soldier’s waist. Steve used the arm around Bucky’s neck to pat absentmindedly at his chest in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. The weak pat barely registered with Bucky as he dragged the other from the quinjet towards the elevator Sam was holding open for them. ‘You love my dumb mug too much to leave me under a building’ Steve grinned despite the blood bubbling over his lips, painting his paling skin a bright red. Bucky frowned, debating how much more damage he could do to the man stumbling despite his support if he gave him a whack to the back of his head. Resisting the urge, Bucky cast his eyes skyward before stepping into the enclosed space, blessing the patience Sarah Rogers had had for her son. ‘Seems to me your face loves being under buildings more than being with Barnes, Rogers’ Sam grumbled, making his own displeasure with his friends actions known. Steve sucked a breath in through his aching teeth, grumbling at the concern despite the warmth that curled in his chest. Instead of replying, he simply let his head fall into the juncture of Bucky’s neck, frowning at the TAC gear that still covered his skin. There was nothing more calming than the feel of Bucky’s heart beating against his check to calm him and take away the pain. ‘Don’t go passing out on me Steve or I will carry you through the hallways princess style while dramatically reciting Shakespeare or Bronte’ Bucky teased, using the hand on his waist to tuck Steve further against his body. ‘I’m not gonna pass out’ Steve mumbled against the black fabric, letting his eyes close for a brief second before the elevator announced they’d reached medical Sam sighed as Steve sagged further into Bucky, quickly and quietly taking his place on Steve’s left. He gently manoeuvred the others arm around his shoulders, allowing Steve to balance his weight as the adrenaline of the battle wore off. ‘On your left’ Sam smiled as Steve groaned at the joke as they stepped out of the elevator into the chaos of a pre-mission medbay.  
     ‘Winter is coming’, played over the audio system, followed once more by the orchestral music that had begun to haunt Bucky’s dreams. Steve chuckled weakly at the sound of anger that rumbled from Bucky’s throat at the announcement. Natasha grinned from where she lay hooked up to an IV as Bruce stitched up a wound in her stomach, Clint simply tilted his head in acknowledgement from where a nurse was finishing bandaging his head. ‘Ah, James of House Barnes, finally coming down from your wall to grace us lowly plebeians with your presence?’ Clint smirked, prompting a small laugh from Sam. ‘I do not have time to be angry about this anymore. Can someone please see to this asshole? He decided to get another building dropped on his thick head’ Bucky grimaced, helping Sam lower Steve onto a bed beside Natasha’s. The music still played in the background, taunting him as he stood aside letting them tend to Steve. ‘At least it wasn’t an arrow, Ygritte will be fine this time’ Natasha deadpanned, reaching out a hand to circle Bucky’s wrist, squeezing it comfortingly. Bucky glanced down at her, reading the reassurances in her eyes as he relaxed for the first time since he had seen Steve quickly ducking under his shield as the building had collapsed around him.  
   ‘I thought we agreed that the Labrador of Justice was more Mother of Dragons than Wildling?’ Tony snorted, appearing from the elevator with Pepper, hands full of cups of coffee. Pepper rolled her eyes, leaving coffees on the table by Natasha and Bruce before making her way to Bucky’s side. She placed a comforting hand on Bucky’s metal arm before handing him a coffee, bumping her hip off his with a mutter of ‘Sweet and sugary for my favourite soldier’. Bucky smiled at her sweetly, placing a hand over hers as Tony rolled his eyes at the two of them before grabbing a seat for Pepper to sit in at the end of Steve’s cot. ‘I’m starting to think he’s the worst of both’ Pepper smiled disarmingly as she sat, ‘He has the nativity and thoughtless need for action in the name of justice from the Mother of Dragons. While having the temper and attitude of a Wilding. Mix them together and you get Steven Grant Rogers. Human disaster’. Bucky struggled to keep his laughter concealed. Metal hand coming up to cover his mouth. Pepper’s comment and sweet smile that accompanied it had shocked everyone into silence and barely held giggles. Sam was smothering his amusement in coffee, despite clearly burning his tongue. Clint wasn’t even trying to hide his laughter, pointing at the bedridden super soldier and nodding as if it was the only thing to make sense that day. They had just finished fighting some genetically modified vegetation, most things made sense after that battle. The tension in the room finally broke into uncontrolled laughter as Steve, now hooked up to Asgardian painkillers, attempted to glare at them all. Despite trying to appear intimidating, the super soldier simply resembled a scolded puppy.  
    Bucky was the first to speak, wiping a stray from his eyes, ‘I don’t even understand any of these references or why the hell you programmed that entrance for me Stark, but that is so painfully accurate’. His admission set off another wave of laughter and giggling as the tired group let it sink in that they were all fine. Batter and bruised, but all limbs attached and accounted for. Steve rolled his eyes, letting the drugs wash over him as he raised a hand to bat at Bucky’s thigh lazily in another attempted at being menacing. Bucky snorted as the hand missed, barely grazing his pants before taking Steve’s hand in his free one. ‘What would we do without you to bring us all to tears, doll?’ Bucky teased, gently squeezing the hand held in his. Steve pushed himself up on his elbows, ignoring Bruce’s warning to stay still until his ribs healed, grunting out a soft ‘Always glad my pain is a source of happiness for my friends’. Bucky rolled his eyes at Steve’s dramatics, kneeling beside the bed to prevent the idiot he called his from attempting to move any further. ‘Stop getting stuck under buildings and maybe I’ll stop laughing at you’ he teased, pulling Steve’s hand to rest against his check while gazing into blue eyes that could make him do anything. Steve smiled softly, poking Bucky’s cheek with his finger, ‘Okay Buck’. Bucky smiled, the last of the tension draining from his aching muscles as he leaned over the bed to kiss Steve soundly before any of the others could complain. Steve indulged him, cupping his cheek encouragingly before pulling away when Tony coughed, causing a flush to graces Steve’s pale skin.  
    Bucky should have known his joy wouldn’t last long as he caught the glint in Steve’s bright eyes, the tilt to his smile that had always promised something cheeky and teasing would follow their parting. ‘That thing you did with your mouth…is that...is it what lords do to their ladies, down in the south?’ Steve smirked, and from his tone Bucky had a feeling that his words had a lot less to do with the simple kiss they had shared. ‘Holy shit’ Tony whispered as everyone’s jaws dropped at the quotation Steve had dropped, ‘Grandpa’s got game’. And once again, Bucky found himself the subject of a joke he didn’t understand, but with the way Steve was looking at him with that smile that promised things, he couldn’t bring himself to care  
                                                                                                                                                   *

   Bucky rolled over in the bed, carefully snaking his flesh arm across the expanse hoping to meet Steve’s sleep warm skin. However his hand simply glided over cold empty sheets, drawing an annoyed huff from the half-awake man. No Steve meant he had stayed in bed longer than the younger soldier had deemed necessary from himself, despite still recovering from Building Incident as Tony dubbed it. Steve had quickly demanded that he be returned to his and Bucky’s floors, hospitals still making him anxious after all the years he has spent preparing for the next breathe to be his last as a child. Bucky couldn’t deny him the request, not when tired blue eyes fixed on his, lips turned down showing Bucky the anxiety he tried to hide from the others. He had simply caved, agreeing to allow a nurse medical access to their floor to check up on Steve’s healing along with activating Jarvis at night time to monitor Steve’s vitals. It also allowed Bucky to smother Steve in blankets, his ma’s chicken soup recipe despite Steve’s chuckle of ‘I don’t get the flu anymore Buck’. He had still eaten three bowls despite that complaint with a smile on his face. Days had been spent curled on the sofa, limbs tangled while Bucky read the latest sci-fi novel Bruce had pushed into his hand while Steve flicked through Netflix. It had been calm, ordinary, driving Steve into overdrive as he itched to move. He was like a toddler on a sugar high at Sunday mass, constantly vibrating with a restless energy that he couldn’t do anything to disperse. Hence a cold bed instead a warm super soldier for Bucky to cuddle.  
    Stretching out his stiff muscles, Bucky swung his legs over the edge of their bed, slipping his feet into the fluffy unicorn slippers Wade had gifted him for Christmas. He smiled as he spotted Kit, the fluffy tortoiseshell kitten Steve had brought home from a run, curled up on his hoody at the end of the bed. He grabbed another hoody from the floor, watching as Kit opened her bright green eyes, chirping at him as he reached out a hand. She head butted it gently, yawning as she moved to stretch and with one graceful leap, landed on his good shoulder. Her soft tiny head rubbing along his chin as he made his way out of the main bedroom. ‘Will we go find Stevie, Kit? Wanna go cuddle on the sofa?’ Bucky cooed softly, using a finger to starch under the kittens chin, prompting more purrs and nudges as she moved to settle in the crook of his elbow. He rounded the hallway, edging towards the living when he heard it. The orchestral music assaulted his ears as his eyes narrowed. He glanced around the hallway, eyeing where he knew Jarvis’s sensors were built in. ‘Is Tony trying to drive me insane now Jarvis? Is that his plan? It won’t end well, you them ‘im that for me’ Bucky threaten, cradling Kit closer to him as tiny paws batted at a lock of his hair that had come loose from its bun. ‘I assure you Master Barnes, that it is not Tony nor I playing the music’, the AI answered, ‘The Captain is simply re-watching a show I am programmed not to tell you the name of as Master Stark does not want his joke ruined by you gaining knowledge of this show’. Bucky shook his eyes, ‘Goddamn brat’.  
    Steve chuckled as Bucky stepped into the living room, narrowing his eyes as the blond spread out on the sofa. ‘It was kind of funny Buck, it was cute how confused you got’ Steve smiled, having paused whatever show he was watching. He reached out a hand to scratch at Kit’s head as Bucky stopped behind the sofa, eyes now fixed on the title screen of the show on the screen over their fireplace. ‘Game of Thrones? Are you telling me that stupid line and music came from a TV based on dungeons and dragons Steven?’ he accused, letting the other take Kit from his arms. Steve bit his lip to prevent his laughter at the deadpan expression on Bucky’s face as he resigned himself to the truth. He burrowed further under the fluffy Iron Man blanket he had thrown across himself when he’d stumbled from bed hours earlier. Bucky turned his head down to glare at Steve’s snickers, narrowing them further as Steve tried to play the cute injured soldier holding an innocent kitten card. It was working, Bucky had to admit internally. Steve looked adorable with a small animal on his chest, covered in a blanket and smiling sheepishly. ‘It’s a really good show Buck. You’d like it, I was actually going to show it to you before Tony started the whole ‘Winter is coming’ gag’ Steve admitted, moving his feet to let Bucky sit on the sofa, even lifting the blanket for him. Bucky threw his arm across the back of the sofa, leaving it rest on Steve’s neck as the other moved into a seated position. ‘So, Mother of Dragons, Wildling, the winter guy, all those are part of this show? I don’t see how it relates to me doll’ Bucky sighed, running his thumb along the bone behinds Steve’s ear. Steve shivered, leaning into the touch, ‘It’s all about a battle for the throne between different Houses. That’s why Jarvis has been calling you James of House Barnes. Also you kind of look like one of the main characters, John Snow. And um, the Wildling and Mother of Dragon references refer to two women he’s paired with. Do you want to watch it?’. Bucky shrugged, giving Steve the benefit of doubt, pressing a quick kiss to his temple, ‘Sure doll’.

                                                                                                                                      *

   The team were already gathered for their weekly Wednesday brunch when Tony skidded into the room, smoke rising from his singed beard and soot covering his face and hands. No one even blinked. It would have been strange for Tony to show up well rested, clean and on time than with billowing smoke, stains and weird smells. The greeting Jarvis played for him however, was new, and the chatter stopped as everyone turned to look at a stunned Tony. ‘I am the Gift’ Tyrion Lannister’s voice played throughout the room. Tony blinked, stunned into silence for once as Steve hid his smile behind his newspaper. Bucky simply cast a glance at Tony before returning to wrestling Clint’s fork for the last piece of crispy bacon, ‘You alright there Stark? Dire wolf got your tongue?’. Tony staggered forward, collapsing into his chair beside Natasha, not taking his eyes off of Bucky as she pushed a plate she had saved for him towards him. ‘How did you reprogram Jarvis? Not even Natasha has access to those codes’. Natasha raised an eyebrow which Tony ignored, of course she had the codes but that was a problem for future Tony. Bucky smiled, finally raising his eyes from his liberated bacon. He placed his elbows on the table, pointing at Tony with the fork still holding his prize. ‘That’s what I do. I drink and I know things’ Bucky smirked before leaning back, basking in the laughter his quotation brought out from the others at the table. Tony shook his head before dropping it into his hands, trying to accept the fact he had been bested in pop culture by a hundred-and-one year old brain damaged super soldier. ‘Holy shit, I think Bucky just become the new ruler of the Iron Throne’ Sam blurted, laughter still breaking up his words. Bucky continued to smile smugly, raising an eyebrow as he spoke, ‘Oh, Stark?’. Tony waved a hand in acknowledgment, looking up wearily at the soldier who now had an arm around Steve’s shoulder. ‘Steve definitely has the ability to woo a man in a cave if you catch my drift. He’s a Wildling in the sheets’. Bucky didn’t know what was better, Clint falling off his chair with tears and coffee streaming down his face, Sam’s face as he had choked and spat the coffee he’d been sipping all over Clint or the horror on Tony’s face as the words sunk in.

‘I hate you so much Barnes’. ‘Feelin’s mutual Stark’


End file.
